Portable Kisses

It's back-to-school time! Time for nervous excitement, smiles and maybe even a few tears (for both kids and moms! ;) ) As we celebrate this time of new beginnings, I thought I'd share a book and little something special I did a few years ago for my youngest when she was having a really tough time leaving me each morning for preschool.

First, we came together to read the book The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn. It's an adorable story about a mother raccoon easing her child's anxiety by kissing his hand.





Next, I grabbed a scrap of fleece fabric that I had left over from another project. ( any fabric or even paper would work ). I traced my hand on the fabric, cut it out and painted a little heart on the palm of my handprint. I explained that this was her very own, special and secret "kissing hand".

Before she went to preschool each morning, I took my fabric hand and kissed it a bunch of times to "fill it up" with my kisses for her. Then, before she went into her classroom, I tucked it into her pocket. I told her that any time she felt sad or missed me, she could take out the hand and hold it up to her cheek for a kiss from me. It worked like a charm. Each day was a little easier and soon the tears were a thing of the past and she would go into her room with a smile and a wave.